Array configuration studies for the Square Kilometre Array - Implementation of figures of merit based on spatial dynamic range

TL;DR

This paper evaluates how different array configurations impact the imaging performance of the SKA, introducing figures of merit like spatial dynamic range and Fourier domain coverage to guide optimal design.

Contribution

It introduces quantitative figures of merit, such as spatial dynamic range and Fourier domain coverage, to assess and optimize SKA array configurations for improved imaging performance.

Findings

Spatial dynamic range correlates with array configuration quality.

Fourier domain coverage incompleteness affects imaging fidelity.

Quantitative assessment guides optimal array design.

Abstract

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be operating at the time when several new large optical, X-ray and Gamma-ray facilities are expected to be working. To make SKA both competitive and complementary to these large facilities, thorough design studies are needed, focused in particular on imaging performance of the array. One of the crucial aspects of such studies is the choice of the array configuration, which affects substantially the resolution, rms noise, sidelobe level and dynamic range achievable with the SKA. We present here a quantitative assessment of the effect of the array configuration on imaging performance of the SKA, introducing the spatial dynamic range (SDR) and a measure of incompleteness of the Fourier domain coverage ($\Delta u/u$) as prime figures of merit.